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    Dr Jane Kirkham

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    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jane-Kirkham-2
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    https://scholar.google.com.my/citations?hl=en&pli=1&user=0UAH1U4AAAAJ
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  • The Wellbeing Tree
    https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/the-wellbeing-tree-supporting-a-whole-school-approach-to-wellbeing
  • The Wellbeing Tree

Dr Jane Kirkham

Research Fellow

Staff Member Details
Email: j.kirkham@ecu.edu.au
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9721-2813

Dr Jane Kirkham is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the School of Education

Background

Jane is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist formerly employed as a Senior Psychologist at the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA). At ECU Jane is researching school wellbeing in a three-year (2024-2027) project entitled, “An interactional and holistic approach to fostering wellbeing in K-12 schools”. Her aim is to create new knowledge and to generate new understandings about optimal practices in promoting student and staff wellbeing in K-12 schools. The overarching question to guide this research is, “How do interconnected elements of a school ecological system interact to enable psychological wellbeing in students and staff?” In responding to this question Jane will be drawing upon knowledge gained in researching student motivation in her PhD, on her work as a School Psychologist, and on her extensive teaching experience in mainstream, gifted, and inclusive education at primary and secondary levels in Australia, United Kingdom, and in South Africa. Her research interests lie in the wellbeing, motivation, and engagement of school students and teachers.

Professional associations

  • 2021 – Australian Psychological Society, APS, College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists (Fellow)
  • 2018 – American Psychological Association, APA (International Affiliate)
  • 2004 – Australian Psychological Society, APS (Member)

Awards and recognitions

  • 2021 – Fogarty Foundation Postgraduate Student Research Prize (Western Australian Institute for Educational Research)
  • 2020 – University of Western Australia Prize in Education (Western Australian Institute for Educational Research)
  • 2017 – Outstanding Professional Service Award (Professional Teaching Council of Western Australia)
  • 2007 – Outstanding Teacher of Academically Gifted Students (University of New South Wales, Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre - GERRIC)
  • 2006 – Outstanding Teacher of Academically Gifted Students (University of New South Wales, Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre - GERRIC)

Research areas and interests

  • Systems-informed wellbeing practice in schools
  • Student and teacher wellbeing and mental health
  • Student motivation and engagement

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Western Australia, 2024.
  • Certificate Course in Gifted Education, The University of New South Wales, 2007.
  • Master of Education, South Africa, 1996.
  • Diploma in Education, United Kingdom, 1991.
  • Advanced Diploma In Special Needs In Education, England, 1988.
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Education, United Kingdom, 1984.
  • Bachelor of Psychology with Hons, Wales, 1983.

Research Outputs

2023

Journal Articles

  • Kirkham, J., Chapman, E., Male, S. (2023). Measuring Motivation for Mathematics Course Choice in Secondary School Students: Interrelationships Between Cost and Other Situated Expectancy-Value Theory Components. Sage Open, 13(2), 16 pages. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231180671.
  • Kirkham, J. (2023). Envisaging a Whole-School Approach to Wellbeing: The ‘Wellbeing Tree’. Education Research and Perspectives, 50(2023), 35 pages.

2022

Journal Articles

  • Kirkham, J., Chapman, E. (2022). Gender, achievement level and sociocultural factors in the mathematics course choices of Year 10 students in Western Australia. The Australian Educational Researcher, 49(1), 97 - 114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-020-00425-5.

2020

Journal Articles

  • Kirkham, J., Chapman, E. (2020). Gendered Decision-Making About Mathematics Courses: Contributions of Self-Perceptions, Domain-Perceptions, and Sociocultural Factors. Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, 10(1), 43 - 59. https://doi.org/10.5539/jedp.v10n1p43.
  • Kirkham, J., Chapman, E., Wildy, H. (2020). Factors considered by Western Australian Year 10 students in choosing Year 11 mathematics courses. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 32(2020), 719-741. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-019-00277-y.
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